The course focuses on basic economic and financial principles required to operate a business. Analysis techniques are quantitatively applied to examine the health of a business through the use of financial statements. Also, managerial decision-making applications are presented from the point of view of a firm (microeconomics). Utilizing the capstone simulation model and Comp-XM exam students will learn to analyze an organization’s financial wellness. Upon completion of the course, the student will predict the cumulative effect of changing business inputs on key operating metrics, such as, inventory and labor costs, along with overall costs and revenue.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Examine the fundamental accounting and financial terminology and principles used in operating a firm.

Identify and apply the tools used to analyze the financial performance of an organization.

Utilize forecasting techniques in the development of financial budgets.

Analyze and predict the results of a business simulation model.

BUS 620: Managing the Business Culture (3 credits)

This course analyzes the factors and conditions in an organization that influence employee, unit, division, and corporate behavior and the integration of structure, strategy, policy, resources, and culture with the achievement of corporate goals and objectives. Topics include the analysis of HR functions in order to determine the best use of human capital in an organization; human behavior in organizations and problems; conflict analysis and resolution, understanding and managing formal and informal behavior; communication psychology and ethics; stress management; culture identification, culture analysis, culture change; and managing organizational change. Upon completion, students will identify and analyze factors which influence organizational conflict, and plan solutions to prevent or resolve them.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Interpret and apply principles and concepts of industrial/organization psychology in the workplace.

Analyze and develop effective approaches to organization design and structure that are fully integrated with corporate strategies, objectives, and goals.

Apply organizational analysis techniques in the planning and managing of organizational change.

Apply the principles of organizational behavior to culture analysis and change, gap analysis, power and influence management, conflict analysis and resolution.

Identify and evaluate political behavior in corporate decision-making processes.

Identify the current state of human capital management in reference to both strategic and operational timeframes.

Analyze HR functions that influences an organization’s human capital.

BUS 626: Strategic Implementation (3 credits)

This course focuses on the various elements of the strategic marketing orientation as a means to develop and implement an organization’s strategic plan. Analysis of the external competitive environment, the organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and the use of strategic planning methodologies will be placed in this course. Upon completion, the student will perform a market-oriented analysis of the internal and external environment of a firm, determine the appropriate business level strategy, and specify the appropriate governance structure.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Analyze the strategic position of an organization relative to both the overall global environment and its own specific external competitive environment.

Develop a managerial perspective of the marketing function across business, government and consumer markets in both domestic and global contexts.

Explain the practical concepts and tools for analyzing market opportunities and company capabilities as the basis for strategic market selection, developing customer value propositions, and competitive differentiation.

Design a framework that stresses the use of marketing research to make informed decisions from a market orientation perspective to design and implement a strategic plan.

Evaluate the ethical issues involved in strategy formulation and integrate them into the development of a strategic plan.

BUS 647: Stakeholder Engagement (3 credits)

This course is designed to enhance one’s skillset when it comes to understanding, influencing and persuading all of the internal and external stakeholders. Students will learn the essential elements of managing the supply-chain through relationships with vendors, outsourcing providers, customers, and colleagues. Securing the buy-in of individuals where you don’t have direct authority can support a drive for operational excellence and continuous improvement. Upon completion of this course, students will possess the tools to increase buy-in and engagement of stakeholders relative to the needs of the organization.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Identify the tools necessary to foster buy-in and engagement of stakeholders.

Recognize the causes of waste that lead to decision-making delays and objections.

Apply techniques that build stronger business relationships at all levels of the organization.

Distinguish the personal and cultural preferences of those around you, and how to establish a better rapport with them.

Apply communication and management practices to reduce the amount of management effort required to support and drive a sustainable change in workplace behaviors.

Develop programs to improve motivation and retention of colleagues.

BUS 665: Analytics for the Business Environment (3 credits)

Developing and implementing a systematic analytics strategy can result in a sustainable competitive advantage within an industry. This course provides practical strategies to collect data and then convert that data into meaningful, value-added information and actionable insights. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to contribute to higher level decisions within an organization. Being able to make sense of the overabundance of information around them will help students to predict future trends and will ultimately help them to make effective and efficient use of company resources.

Evaluate data and apply information to leverage decision making that will produce a competitive advantage.

Summarize the results of the empirical analysis in a professional manner.

BUS 668: Innovation & Change Management (3 credits)

This course examines the theories of innovation and change management within organizations to refine and expand student’s current problem-solving skills and leadership abilities. Concepts covered include various leadership theories and models, leadership across cultures, leadership ethics and attributes, organizational change/development, and the role of the leader in establishing organizational culture and facilitating change. Methods include a mix of reading, discussion, case studies, team exercises and reflective exercises to achieve a better understanding of leadership and decision-making. Upon completion, students will assess, plan, and manage the process of change within an organization.

Recognize the ethical issues associated with innovation and change management.

Develop techniques to analyze how organizations react to change and overcome organizational resistance to change.

Design and implement an innovative change management process within an industry or organization.

COM 620: Intercultural Communication (3 credits)

This course examines the theories of innovation and change management within organizations to refine and expand student’s current problem-solving skills and leadership abilities. Concepts covered include various leadership theories and models, leadership across cultures, leadership ethics and attributes, organizational change/development, and the role of the leader in establishing organizational culture and facilitating change. Methods include a mix of reading, discussion, case studies, team exercises and reflective exercises to achieve a better understanding of leadership and decision-making. Upon completion, students will assess, plan, and manage the process of change within an organization.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to

Explain cultural context and its impact on intercultural communication.

Develop two-way communication channels between organization and the cultures it serves.

Develop a literature review and a research proposal that can be executed for a conference or journal manuscript.

DIL 601: Foundations of Diversity and Inclusion (3 credits)

This course will help students to identify the historical foundations of diversity and inclusivity, as well as their impact on the changing dynamics of today’s work environments. Topics such as Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX will be addressed, as well as current policies related to diversity and inclusion in organizations. Theories such as Emotional Intelligence, Implicit Bias, The Bystander Effect, as well as active intervention and training strategies, to the urgency and push for diversity and inclusion reflective in the demographic shifts of today’s workforce. Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to distinguish best practices in organizational Diversity & Inclusion and have the foundation to research and develop organizational diversity initiatives.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Identify the historical foundations and their impact on the changing dynamic of diversity and inclusivity within today’s work environments.

Interpret the complexity of diversity and inclusive perspectives

Distinguish language for advanced practice in the field of diversity and inclusivity.

Organize and apply compilation of research to develop just and ethical D & I initiatives for the business case.

DIL 610: Cultural and Social Group Identities (3 credits)

This course will focus on theoretical and practical issues regarding relationships between communication processes in contemporary U.S. organizations and socially constructed aspects of identity: gender, race, sexual identity, social class, ability, and age. Course materials and activities will address theoretical perspectives, socio-historical developments, research, and practical issues. Students will focus on how systems of power and privilege shape perceptions of salient social identity groups, and how individuals and groups resist and transform those systems. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to identify and understand the communication issues relevant to the ways we learn about social identity from sources including family, media, and organizations.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Critically evaluate conceptions of power, power dynamics, and means by which people enact power through communication within organizations and other contexts in which they occur.

Identify and assess organizational communication issues related to the impact of group identity on diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Develop a deeper understanding of individual identity and the importance of self as an agent of change in diversity and inclusion work.

Explain connections between theoretical perspectives of how systems of power and privilege help shape perceptions of salient social identity groups within the U.S. organizational context.

This course introduces students to the concepts, frameworks, and theories covered in managing change and inclusive initiatives. Students will examine significant barriers to creating an inclusive environment where a diverse workforce can thrive by examining practices and current research on global diversity and inclusion. Students will learn to differentiate and recognize the roles of resistance, assessing conflict in the diversity and inclusion change management process, and mitigating unconscious bias. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to interpret ways in which stagnant diversity and inclusion initiatives might be infused to cultivate a new mindset and advance for revitalization.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Recognize roles of resistance within change initiatives, leading to counterproductive behavior and impacting innovation.

Interpret strategies for positive recruitment and retention of diverse talent.

Compose language for proficient practice in diversity and inclusive management.

Appraise, analyze, and report out findings of employee resource groups, in an effort to give under-represented populations visibility and support to align with organizational strategy, goals, and enhance an inclusive work environment.

This course introduces a best practices approach in the development and implementation of organizational diversity and inclusion measures. Students will gain knowledge of and drive organizational diversity and inclusion metrics that impact diversity initiatives. Upon completion of this course, students will understand the impact of organizational diversity initiatives and be able to measure the effectiveness of an organization’s diversity practices.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Explain the historical issues in organizational diversity and inclusion, and describe measures that have previously been utilized to assess diversity initiatives.

Discuss the alignment of current HR measures and analytics, and comprehend the effectiveness of current organizational diversity initiatives.

Recognize and evaluate the premiere models for measuring effectiveness in organizational diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Utilize data to analyze the effectiveness of organizational diversity initiatives and determine the risk to the organization’s reputation.

Assess the impact of a proactive focus on organizational diversity and inclusion efforts from an organizational and macroeconomic perspective, and evaluate the negative repercussions of not implementing effective organizational initiatives.

DIL 689: Diversity and Inclusion Capstone (3 credits)

This course enables students to complete the degree program by producing a project designed to solve a diversity and inclusion problem that draws on theoretical and applied skills, literature, and research presented in coursework. The project must reinforce core competencies developed from curricular study and apply this knowledge to the project design under faculty guidance and within an approved framework. All work must have the ability to be applied or published. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to demonstrate the ability to integrate applicable diversity and inclusion theory, models and metrics into a real-world application and present the project in a professional setting.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Design a high-quality project to address a real diversity and inclusion problem.

Demonstrate the ability to integrate diversity and inclusion theory into practice.

Apply ethical behavior as a dimension of character in professional conduct.

Explain the project results using appropriate and effective presentation skills in a professional setting.

GRAD 686: FE Capstone Seminar (3 credits)

The Field Experience Capstone Seminar is the culminating experience for students studying in any one of the traditionally offered Master in Management programs. Students meet weekly to discuss topics and analyze case studies that highlight the various learning and development domains and dimensions identified by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, that include 1) knowledge acquisition, integration, construction, and application, 2) cognitive complexity, 3) intrapersonal development, 4) interpersonal competence, 5) humanitarianism and civic engagement, and 6) practical competence. In addition to course work, students must be engaged in an internship at least 6 months prior to the commencement of this course. A minimum of 600 work hours related to one’s program of study must be completed before the student can begin this course. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be prepared to use technical skills of the profession, communicate appropriately, reflect, analyze and reason through complex issues, as well as manage relationships, and personal behaviors and attitudes, as well as apply excellent moral character and professional ethics to the practices of the organization.

Course Learning Outcomes:Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

Apply excellent moral character and professional ethics to the practices of an organization.

Communicate effectively through writing, speaking, listening and electronic media by using the language of business coupled with interpersonal and communication skills to lead organizational groups in a physical or virtual presence.

Evaluate, analyze, and interpret information concerning human, intellectual technological and material resources to solve problems and make business decisions occurring in both structured and non-structured environments.

Exhibit a rigorous understanding of core business operations reflecting an integration of functional perspectives.

Utilize methods which foster innovation in organizations and respond effectively to new circumstances, enabling organizations to realize the impact on products and processes.

Acquire and utilize knowledge of behavioral, policy, and strategic issues to improve the effectiveness of the organization.

Evaluate and manage the interdisciplinary role that sport plays in society, work with non-sport constituents to achieve larger goals and study the impacts that sport events can leave on communities across the world.

Analyze the internal and external factors that influence and shape the discipline of sport management including advances in new media, changes in the political landscape, policy issues and current best practices across the field.